“To the pure, all things are pure.” Titus 1:15
Somewhere along the line, we failed to draw a line. It’s not fashionable in a fuzzy, postmodern world to talk about lines.
The good news about postmodernism is that we’re not black and white about things that need to be grey. The bad news is that God does draw lines and we can mistake a gospel of acceptance of others, of love and tolerance, for a gospel of “if it’s true for you, then it’s ok.”
God has a problem with not just sin, but with impure thinking, and we need to wrestle with the issue. The passage in Titus (above) goes on to say, “They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him.” Then, as he sums up, Paul’s advice to Titus sounds harsh to our sensitivity-trained ears, “They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.”
Whew! I don’t want to be in that group! So, what do I do to protect myself? Turning the page to Titus 2:12 we find some sound counsel, “Say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions. Live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.”
In our house, saying “No” meant not having a TV set (we did videos we could screen in advance). It meant no PG-13 movies before about 15 years old (it sounds extreme, doesn’t it?) It meant no “R” movies, period. Once the kids went to college, what they do is up to them. It meant encouraging them in purity, frowning on one-on-one dating, monitoring their spiritual lives and encouraging them to go deeper in their walks with Jesus (trying to emphasize principles over rules).
Yes, this was extreme. To some, we seemed hopelessly retrograde. None of our kids’ friends were held to these standards. But now that our kids are in their 20’s, I like the fruit. I’m glad we were strict. They don’t always make the choices we’d make, but for the most part, they make good ones.
What about you, where do you draw the line? What are your strategies for purity?
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Seth, at almost 37, I still do not watch PG-13 movies. They are, in my opinion, trash too. (I will put no vile thing before my eyes says the Psalms) My son knows this and loves this about me. He has certainly seen the worse and now the transformation. We spend that time playing… The Lord has blessed me in the last 6 years with seeking to have a pure heart. It does not take much to trigger the flesh, so I avoid it all cost AND I count the cost. FRUIT!
The Bible says in Ephesians 5, “But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place.” The key word “hint”
The key is holiness! The Bible has called us to holy, righteous, and w/o blame. This is the line I draw! WWJD is not just a slang; it is something I ask myself often.
Being single, it would be easy to sin, lie and be seperated. Not a good plan! I’ve been there. For every temptation, HE provides The Way out!
Living a holy life is not easy, but very rewarding, for it is the will of God, to whom I owe my life and purity to! In my weakness, His strength is made perfect!
Thank you! For speaking out and desiring puriy when our world does not and for giving us an active challenge to FIGHT for purity!